Arthur Russell died in obscurity of AIDS in 1992. Yet this New York composer was a true visionary, traversing dub, disco and Minimalism and anticipating the 90s obsession with musical hybrids. --David Toop, an A to Z of dub.

Arthur Russell was an avant-garde cellist active in the New York art scene of the late twentieth century. But next to his 'art music' activities, Russell was equally active in the New York club scene, writing dance music, after being introduced to it by Nicky Siano. As such he bridges the gap between art music and popular music. His tracks have been (re)mixed by such luminaries as Larry Levan, Walter Gibbons, Nicky Siano and Francois Kevorkian. His best tracks are Loose Joints 'Is It All Over My Face', Dinosaur L 'Go Bang!' and Lola 'Wax The Van'.

"If Nick Drake had lived long enough to make records with New Order, they might have sounded something like this" (Rolling Stone , 2004)

Out of print for over fifteen years, Arthur Russell's most extraordinary work, "World Of Echo" is issued for the first time on CD by Audika Records with previously unreleased bonus material and a DVD of rare video filmed by Phill Niblock.

Biography

Arthur Russell (Oskaloosa, Iowa 1951-April 4, 1992) was a gay cellist, composer, and disco artist. Classicially trained on the cello, he studied with Ali Akbar Khan at the Ali Akbar Kaan School in San Franciso in the early 70s. During this time he collaborated with frequently with Allen Ginsberg in performance. In the mid-70s he moved to New York and began study at The Manhattan School of Music. He formed a band from 1975-1979, The Flying Hearts, recorded by John Hammond and featuring David Byrne, Rhys Chatham, Jon Gibson, Peter Gordon, Jerry Harrison, Garret List, Frank Pagano, Andy Paley, Leni Pickett, and Peter Zummo.

He collaborated with Elodie Lauten on the song "In the Light of the Miracle" and has been remixed by Francois Kervorkian ("Go Bang"). His album World of Echo was included as one of Melody Maker's Top Thirty Releases of 1986. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Russell_%28cellist%29 [Jan 2005]

A profile

Arthur Russell was born and raised in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he later studied the cello and began to write his own music. In the early 1970's, he moved to California and studied Indian music at the Ali Akbar Khan School in San Francisco. He met Allen Ginsberg, with whom he began to work, accompanying him on the cello while Allen sang or read his poetry.

In the mid 1970's, Arthur Russell moved to New York. (......) He contributed
to The Flying Hearts in studio work and, occasionally, in performance with David Byrne, Rhys Chatham, Jon Gibson, Peter Gordon, Jerry Harrison, Garret List, Andy Paley, Leni Pickett and Peter Zummo. From 1975 to 1979 this ensemble, together with Glenn Iamaro, Bill Ruyle and Jon Sholle, performed and recorded the orchestral composition of Instrumentals (Disques du Crepescule, 1984, Belgium)

In 1979, Arthur wrote and produced 'Kiss Me Again', under the name Dinosaur. It was the first disco single to be released by Sire Records, and the first of many of Arthur's' innovative dance tunes. This was followed by 'Is It All Over My Face' by Loose Joints, released in 1980. In 1982, Arthur Russell and William Socolov founded Sleeping
Bag records and their first release was his 24-24 Music. The number 'Go Bang', which originated from this album, was re-mixed as a 12" single by Francois Kevorkian.

In 1983, the album Tower of Meaning (Chatham Square) was released. This compelling and meditative recording, conducted by Julius Eastman, represents just a fragment of a much larger composition, which includes voices along with its instrumentation.

At the same time, Arthur continued to release dance singles such as 'Tell You Today' (4th and Broadway, 1983) an upbeat dance groove featuring the vocals of Joyce Bowden. Additional dance tunes included Wax the Van (Jump Street, 1985) with voacals by Lola Blank, wife of notorious Bob, 'Treehouse/Schoolbell' (Sleeping Bag, 1986)
and Let's Go Swimming (Upside/Rough Trade, 1986).

During the mid 1980's, Arthur Russell gave many performances, either accompanying himself on cello with a myriad of effects, or working with a small ensemble consisting of Mustafa Ahmed, Steven Hall, Elodie Lauten and Peter Zummo.

1986 saw the release of 'World of Echo' (Upside/Rough Trade, 1986), which incorporated many of his ideas for pop, dance and classical music for both solo and cello format. This critically acclaimed album was included in Melody Maker's "Top Thirty Releases of 1986."

Arthur also collaborated with a number of choreographers, including John Bernd, Diane Madden, Alison Salzinger and Stephanie Woodard.

When Arthur Russell died of AIDS on April 4, 1992, at the age of 40, the obituary for in the Village Voice wrote: "his songs were so personal that it seems as though he simply vanished into his music."

March 2004

Steve Knutson, formerly of Tommy Boy and currently of Audika, has been kind enough to put in a word with Soul Jazz about our compilation, New York City Body Music, Volume One, which we hope to have out somewhere, before too long. Audika will be reissuing Arthur Russell's World of Echo next year, possibly with DVD element. How fucking gangsta is that?

The first in Audika's new series of reissues and collections featuring the work of New York-based cellist, songwriter, composer, and disco visionary, the late ARTHUR RUSSELL (co-founder of Sleeping Bag Records). Calling Out Of Context features twelve previously unreleased tracks that push the boundaries of pop and underground disco recorded during Russell's prime years 1985-'90. The material is drawn from Corn, an album completed in 1985 but never released, and an abandoned album recorded for Rough Trade as Russell had become ill. Spontaneous, challenging, and contemporary. "If Nick Drake had lived long enough to make records with New Order, they might have sounded like this."--Rolling Stone --Midheaven Mailorder, Feb 2004

December 2003's Wire Magazine has an extensive article on Arthur Russell by David Toop, the writer ever to interview Arthur Russell and one of the first to point out his exceptional qualities. The original plan was to release this CD on this compilation on Nuphonic, but Soul Jazz records picked up the project after Nuphonic went defunct.

The music of Arthur Russell happens to be one of those obscure gems limited to whomever can afford a murderous bidding war on e-Bay or are privy to exceptional file sharing sites. It’s odd, too, as Russell has garnered acclaim from the likes of Phillip Glass, Allen Ginsberg, and David Toop. At last someone (the Soul Jazz label) has caught on to the importance of re-releasing music from this important artist. Material on World of Arthur Russell consists of excerpts from various 12” dance releases throughout the 80’s; Another Thought released in the early 90’s and one track from his visionary album World of Echo released in 1986. --I Kidher, Stylus Magazine, 2003-12-17

Russell Revival Goes Bang

During a short, prolific, and oft-misunderstood career, Arthur Russell bridged the boundaries between downtown New York's vital rock, avant-garde, and post-disco scenes of the '70s and '80s. Next year, more than a decade after his death from AIDS at age 41, the full breadth and influence of Russell's work will finally reveal itself with four new releases. A classically trained cellist, Russell had his greatest success with dance music: He produced "Kiss Me," Sire Records' first 12" single; his track with Loose Joints, "Is it All Over My Face," was remixed by Larry Levan and is recognized as the blueprint for the Paradise Garage sound; he founded the Sleeping Bag label in 1982 and released his single, "Go Bang," with a now-classic Francois K remix. The World Of Arthur Russell, due December 1 on Soul Jazz, compiles many of these hard to find proto-house tracks. Russell's later work, including the albums Tower of Meaning, World of Echo, and Another Thought, showcases his classical and experimental side and attracted a small but devoted group of admirers. Now, Steve Knutson, an industry veteran and long-time admirer of Russell, has launched Audika Records and is readying three Russell releases: a double disc reissue of World of Echo with an alternate version of the entire album, a disc highlighting Russell's orchestrated music, and Calling Out of Context, due on January 27, which is a collection of previously unavailable rhythmic songs recorded between 1985 and 1990. "Arthur could never make up his mind," explained Knutson after listening to hundreds of hours of unreleased Russell tapes. "He was always searching for something he couldn't find." (DJP) --http://www.earplug.cc/mailer/issue08/

Dub pioneer

Arthur Russell is yet another dub pioneer who is no longer with us. Russell played cello, studied Indian music and wrote minimalist compositions. He also made disco records when he could, mixing cello, hand drums, jazzy keyboards and wistful, ectoplasmic singing, then handing over the tapes to Walter Gibbons for dub warping. "Let's Go Swimming", "Go Bang! #5" and "Schoolbell/Treehouse" still push back the boundaries of dance, while the much coveted World Of Echo explores the meditative environment of dub space. -- David Toop, 25 Oct 2001

Jess Harvell article

[...] who was Arthur Russell? In 1994, Point released Another Thought as a posthumous collection of Russell work. It presented the man as a wracked avant troubadour, alone with his cello. One by one his old associates with name brand value (Philip Glass, Allen Ginsberg, David Byrne) were trotted out to explain why Russell was a True American Visionary. (Which he was, no doubt. But like many other American Visionaries [Richard Maxfield springs immediately to mind] whose own name brand value equals the number items available for purchase [zero], the prospective record company needs every bit of proselytizing they can muster.) -- Jess Harvell http://www.freakytrigger.co.uk/russell.html

Sleeping Bag Records

Sleeping Bag released some of the finest and most groundbreaking leftfield disco/electro/hip-hop records of the late 70's/early 80's, creating new underground disco sounds (with Dinosaur L, Larry Levan...) and introducing the dubby sounds of future house and garage music. It has now reached cult status among connoisseurs. Well, nothing really surprising when you know that it was co-founded by avant-gardist composer and cellist Arthur Russell. [...]

Selected discography

Sire rds (WB rds)

Dinosaur 'Kiss Me Again' (1979)

first disco single to be released by Sire Records, Pro771si (red vinyl), Pro785si (black vinyl), 13:05 seconds, [found it July 1999], guitar by David Byrne, of the Talking Heads on guitar, Alan Schwartzberg on drums, Wilbur Bascum on bass, Arthur Russell on cello...... not sure if Miriam's [vocalist] name was Velez or Vele, ...but she was a back up singer for Desmond Child [says Nicky Siano]

Discography (2)

I do a tiny bit of freelance writing and have been toying
with the idea of doing something about Arthur Russell. I have no idea
who I would try to sell it to, though.
Tell You (Today) is really good, but is lighter fare than some of his
other stuff, kind of bippity boppity, not as funky as All Over My Face,
for instance. The female vocals are almost Betty Boopish. Still well
worth the $12 www.vinylvendor.com has it at.
Meanwhile, here's the info on the tracks you asked about:
Necessaries -- I'll have to send you this info when I receive it, which
could be a good 4-6 weeks, oh well.
Dinosaur -- As well as the 12", I have the promo 7", SRE 1034, both
sides 3:03 of the Jimmy Simpson mix on side a of 12" (in my mind the
inferior version), one side mono, one stereo. The label does, however,
credit the singer, "Myriam Valle."
Dinosaur L -- SLX-O, Go Bang! #5, Produced by Arthur Russell & Will
Socolov, Mixed by Francois K.; SLX-000, Clean On Your Bean #1, Produced
by Arthur Russell & Peter Gordon, Rap by Andre and Abel, Mixed by
Francois K.
Loose Joints -- the new pressing of Is It All Over My Face is listed as
WES 5002-A (90003) Female and B (90004) Male, "Digitally remastered
Classic Series." It also lists a website which is under construction,
www.westendrecords.com.
Tell You (Today), 1983, my copy is a Promotional Copy Only Not For
Sale,
PRO 410 A, Tell You (Today) 7:00, Tell You (Today) 3:20, Both Tracks:
Arthur Russell, PRO 401 B, Tell You (Today) 5:44 (Instrumental) (Arthur
Russell), Produced by Killer Whale and Steve D'Aquisto, Mixed by Larry
Levan, Eddie Garcia and Robert Moraty for VANLEEV TLX Music (ASCAP),
4th & B'Way/Island. The 7:00 version also appears on the compilation
Boogie on Broadway: Best of Fourth and Broadway, Volume One.
Lola -- Wax the Van, JS-1007, Side A: Kenny's club version, 5:33;
Cherry's Club, 5:43; Side B: Radio Edit, 4:05; Jon's Dub, 7:11.
Produced by Bob & Lola Blank for Blank Productions, Recorded at: Blank
Tape Studios, Inc., Mastered by Herb "Pump" Powers at Frankford/Wayne
Studios, Keyboards: Arthur Russell, Kenny Blank. Jon's Dub appears on
Classic Balearic Mastercuts Volume 1 CD.
Russell only contributed to one cut on Snake Charmer: Words: Arthur
Russell, Music: Wobble, Evans, Marland, Kevorkian, produced by Francois
Kevorkian.
I'll send you the Todd Terry Project and Ginsberg-related info later,
plus the specifics on Another Thought.
Hope this helps,
Mark

1998 Toop Article, The Wire

Arthur Russell died in obscurity of AIDS in 1992. Yet this New York composer was a true visionary, traversing dub, disco and Minimalism and anticipating the 90s obsession with musical hybrids. David Toop pays tribute.

Nuphonic

Hi--just to let you know I was hanging out with Steve D'Acquisto
last week at Quad Studios NYC where Steve was making digital
transfers of 2 track live mix tapes of Love Dancing and Pop
Your Funk--the highlight was finding a reel of Arthur's edits of
Pop Your Funk--with about ten minutes of unadulterated genius
editing and playing--this is being done for Nuphonic in
anticipation of release soon--and an ongoing effort by Steve to
make digital copies of the dozens of 2 track mix tapes that Tom
Lee (Arthur's boyfriend) has stored in his East Village
apartment (in the Poets' Building--where several poets
including the late Allen Ginsberg and many musicians including
Richard Hell have lived or still live there).

CDs

Arthur Russell - Another Thought [1CD, Amazon US]
1. Another Thought
2. Little Lost
3. Home Away from Home
4. Lucky Cloud
5. This Is How We Walk on the Moon
6. Hollow Tree
7. See Through Love
8. Keeping Up
9. In the Light of the Miracle
10. Lucky Cloud (Return)
11. Just a Blip
12. Me for Real
13. Losing My Taste for the Night Life
14. My Tiger, My Timing
15. Sudden Chill

December 2003's Wire Magazine has an extensive article on Arthur Russell by David Toop, the writer ever to interview Arthur Russell and one of the first to point out his exceptional qualities. The original plan was to release this CD on this compilation on Nuphonic, but Soul Jazz records picked up the project after Nuphonic went defunct.

The music of Arthur Russell happens to be one of those obscure gems limited to whomever can afford a murderous bidding war on e-Bay or are privy to exceptional file sharing sites. It’s odd, too, as Russell has garnered acclaim from the likes of Phillip Glass, Allen Ginsberg, and David Toop. At last someone (the Soul Jazz label) has caught on to the importance of re-releasing music from this important artist. Material on World of Arthur Russell consists of excerpts from various 12” dance releases throughout the 80’s; Another Thought released in the early 90’s and one track from his visionary album World of Echo released in 1986. --I Kidher, Stylus Magazine, 2003-12-17

Steve Knutson, formerly of Tommy Boy and currently of Audika, has been kind enough to put in a word with Soul Jazz about our compilation, New York City Body Music, Volume One, which we hope to have out somewhere, before too long. Audika will be reissuing Arthur Russell's World of Echo next year, possibly with DVD element. How fucking gangsta is that?

The first in Audika's new series of reissues and collections featuring the work of New York-based cellist, songwriter, composer, and disco visionary, the late ARTHUR RUSSELL (co-founder of Sleeping Bag Records). Calling Out Of Context features twelve previously unreleased tracks that push the boundaries of pop and underground disco recorded during Russell's prime years 1985-'90. The material is drawn from Corn, an album completed in 1985 but never released, and an abandoned album recorded for Rough Trade as Russell had become ill. Spontaneous, challenging, and contemporary. "If Nick Drake had lived long enough to make records with New Order, they might have sounded like this."--Rolling Stone --Midheaven Mailorder, Feb 2004

Track Listings
1. The Deer In The Forest Part One
2. The Platform On The Ocean
3. You And Me Both
4. Calling Out Of Context
5. Arm Around You
6. That's Us / Wild Combination
7. Make One, Two
8. Hop On Down
9. Get Around To It
10. I Like You
11. You Can Make Me Feel Bad
12. Calling All Kids